Thursday 27 October 2016
Cabinet approves Cadre Review of Indian Posts & Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service Group “A”
27-October-2016 15:47 IST
Cabinet approves Cadre Review of Indian Posts & Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service Group “A”
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the first Cadre Review of Indian Posts & Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service (IP&TAFS) with the following salient features:
(a) Reduction of the total strength of the cadre from 420 to 376.
(b) Creation of one Apex level post of Controller General of Communication Accounts (CGCA).
(c) Creation of one additional HAG+ level post taking the grade strength to 2.
(d) Creation of two additional HAG level posts taking the grade strength from 6 to 8.
(e) Creation of 18 additional SAG level posts taking the grade strength from 37 to 55.
(f) Reduction in JAG level posts from 111 to 90.
(g) Reduction in STS level posts from 198 to 86.
(h) Creation of 21 JTS level posts taking the grade strength from 67 to 88.
(i) Creation of 46 Posts to be operated as Reserves
Background:
Indian Posts & Telecommunications Accounts and Finance Service Group ‘A” was constituted in 1972 and caters to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Department of Posts (DoP).
In Department of Telecommunications, the IP&TAFS performs the functions of assessment and collection of license fee/ spectrum usage charges, spectrum auction, USO scheme monitoring and subsidy management, exchequer control, budgeting, accounting, pension disbursement, internal audit and finance advice. In the Department of Posts, the IP&TAFS is entrusted with the functions of finance advice, budgeting, tariff and costing, accounting and internal audit.
There has been a paradigm shift in the role of Department of Telecommunications as well as the Department of Posts in recent years. In the Telecom sector, the role of the Department of Telecommunications has transformed from primarily being a Service provider, Regulator and Policy maker into the present structure whereby the Department is primarily responsible for Policy making, Licensing and Universal Service Obligation. Receipts from Department of Telecommunications, primarily License Fee, Spectrum Usage Charges and Spectrum Auction Value constitute one of the largest source of non-tax revenue for the Government of India.
Similarly, the bundle of services offered by Department of Posts has undergone a quantitative and qualitative change and the Department has ventured into areas of retailing, banking, insurance, digitizing operations etc. Further, the audit mechanism in both the Departments needs to be strengthened.
These facts coupled with the stagnation in various grades of the service necessitated a review of the structure of IP&TAFS.
GDS Bonus ceiling revised to 7000 from 3500 w.e.f 2014
Enhancement of ceiling for calculation of ex-gratia Bonus payable to Gramin Dak Sevaks from Rs. 3500/- to Rs. 7000/ Order
TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE TO BE PAID AT PAR WITH REGULAR WORKER UNDER THE PRINCIPLES OF 'EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK' = SUPREME COURT
NEW DELHI: 26.10.2016.
In a big relief to lakhs temporary employee who have been hired by government departments and agencies across the country on contractual basis, the Supreme Court on Wednesday held that they are entitled to wages at par with permanent employees and principle of 'equal pay for equal work' must be followed.
A bench of Justices JS Khehar and SA Bobde said the principle of 'equal pay for equal work' constitutes a clear and unambiguous right vested in every employee whether engaged on regular or temporary basis.
"In our considered view, it is fallacious to determine artificial parameters to deny fruits of labour.
"In our considered view, it is fallacious to determine artificial parameters to deny fruits of labour.
An employee engaged for the same work, cannot be paid less than another, who performs the same duties and responsibilities. Certainly not, in a welfare state. Such an action besides being demeaning, strikes at the very foundation of human dignity," the bench said.
The bench said the principle had been expounded through a large number of judgments rendered by theapex court and and constitutes law declared by the Supreme Court.
"Any one, who is compelled to work at a lesser wage, does not do so voluntarily. He does so, to provide food and shelter to his family, at the cost of his self respect and dignity, at the cost of his self worth, and at the cost of his integrity. For he knows, that his dependents would suffer immensely, if he does not accept the lesser wage," Justice Khehar, who wrote the judgement, said. "
"Any one, who is compelled to work at a lesser wage, does not do so voluntarily. He does so, to provide food and shelter to his family, at the cost of his self respect and dignity, at the cost of his self worth, and at the cost of his integrity. For he knows, that his dependents would suffer immensely, if he does not accept the lesser wage," Justice Khehar, who wrote the judgement, said. "
Any act, of paying less wages, as compared to others similarly situate, constitutes an act of exploitative enslavement, emerging out of a domineering position. Undoubtedly, the action is oppressive, suppressive and coercive, as it compels involuntary subjugation," he said.
The court passed the verdict on a bunch of petition filed by tempoary employee working for state of Punjab seeking wage parity with regular employee. They approached the apex court after Punjab and Haryana High Court held that temporary employees were not entitled to the minimum of the regular pay-scale, merely for reason, that the activities carried on by them and the regular employees were similar.
Setting aside the HC order, the apex court held that the principle of equal pay for equal work must be followed in the country as India was a signatory of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. "India is a signatory to the covenant, having ratified the same on April 10, 1979. There is no escape from the above obligation, in view of different provisions of the Constitution and in view of the law declared by this court under Article 141 of the Constitution of India, the principle of 'equal pay for equal work' constitutes a clear and unambiguous right and is vested in every employee - whether engaged on regular or temporary basis,"it said.
COURTESY - THE TIMES OF INDIA.
CABINET APPROVES RELEASE OF AN INSTALMENT OF DEARNESS ALLOWANCE TO CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND DEARNESS RELIEF TO PENSIONERS DUE FROM 01.07.2016
The Union Cabinet under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to release an instalment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to Pensioners w.e.f. 01.07.2016 representing an increase of 2% of the revised Basic Pay/Pension, to compensate for price rise. The increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission.
The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief would be Rs. 5622.10 crore per annum and in the Financial Year 2016-17 for the period of 8 months (i.e. from July 2016 to February 2017), it would be Rs.3748.06 crore. About 50.68 lakh Government employees and 54.24 lakh pensioners will be benefited.
Centre may announce 2% DA for staff, pensioners: PTI
New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) In what could bring cheers to 50 lakh central employees and 58 lakh pensioners ahead of Diwali, the Centre is all set to announce 2 per cent dearness allowance to be effective from July 1, 2016.
"The proposal to provide 2 per cent dearness allowance and dearness relief to central government employees and pensioners respectively, is listed on agenda of the Union Cabinet meeting scheduled for tomorrow," a source said.
Dearness allowance and dearness relief is provided to employees and pensioners to neutralise the impact of price rise on their earnings.
Earlier this year the government hiked Dearness Allowance by 6 per cent to 125 per cent of the basic pay. The DA was later merged into the basic pay following implementation of 7th Pay Commission award.
The central government employee unions want that the DA should be increased by 3 per cent and not 2 per cent which is being considered by the centre.
President of Confederation of Central Government Employees K K N Kutty told PTI: "The 12-month average of Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016, works out to be 2.92 per cent. Therefore the unions had pressed for 3 per cent DA. We are not satisfied with this."
As per the agreed formula, government increases DA on the basis of 12-month average of the retail inflation and does not consider the price rise rate beyond decimal point for deciding the rate of dearness allowance.
Source:PTI
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